Minnesota Interfaith Power & Light

05/28/2026

The Youth N' Power Network and Youth Environmental Activist program participants hosted a lunch at the Capitol this afternoon with young people and state legislators.

After months of work planning and coordinating, more than 25 young people shared what they're concerned about: public health and climate impacts, green space and urban canopy, how to invest in youth people getting green jobs, and the environmental impacts of hyperscale data centers.

It was an incredible day – as Youth N' Power's Makayla Freeman said, the vibes were great and it was so powerful to have so many young people there!

A huge thank you to Rep. Katie Jones and Rep. Larry Kraft for participating and to the Youth Environmental Activists program participants for planning: Ansh, Himaja, Mariel, Vadanth, Toby and Kiran.

If you want to support the work of that these young people have been doing in their communities, we are hoping to raise $5000 to cover the cost of this program, which Youth N' Power took on after the closure of Climate Generation. A gift of any amount helps make this work possible.

Donate here: https://mnipl.nationbuilder.com/yea

05/28/2026

We are so excited to welcome Jim Bear Jacobs as Co-Executive Director of MNIPL and the Climate Justice Commons!

Jim Bear will be bringing his Healing Minnesota Stories and Sacred Site Tours into MNIPL as part of our commitment to Healing Justice. He'll be working collaboratively on our reparations and global repair work and support the work of Rise & Repair.

Welcome, Jim Bear!

One of the greatest joys of my work at MNIPL has been in building deep, cooperative relationships between people who care about building a climate of justice for all beings…

05/16/2026

There’s still time to join us at the Eco Fair on Summit! Come test drive electric vehicles and e-bikes, enjoy some food and music, and learn more about organizations and companies that can help you go green.

Also, baby goats!

We’ll be in the lot behind House of Hope Presbyterian on the corner of Summit and Avon until 3:00 today. Join us!

04/28/2026

Did you miss last week's Community Hearing on Data Centers put on by Rise & Repair? Check out this amazing coverage by the Minnesota Women's Press!

Across all testimony, a consistent theme emerged: Minnesota is moving faster than its policies can manage. Speakers did not uniformly oppose data centers outright, but insisted that without a pause, the state risks long-term environmental, social, and economic harm. The call was clear: slow down, st

04/22/2026

We’re at the Capitol today for the Earth Day Community Hearing on Data Centers.

There are more than 20 hyperspace data centers being proposed in Minnesota right now, many hidden from the public through non-disclosure agreements with local government. Despite the massive impacts to the environment, climate and health of our communities, the bill introduced by Sen. McKewan to create a two-year moratorium on new hyperscale data centers hasn’t even gotten a hearing.

Today Rise & Repair brought the testimony to them, from people across the state like Cathy from Farmington where a massive data center is being proposed. She reminded us of the urgency of this moment.

“Shovels are in the ground for some of these projects,” she said, “as these tech companies are enjoying tax breaks.”

Rise & Repair’s Leanna Goose also called on legislators to hear from their constituents in this community hearing: “Listen, learn, and legislate as if your children’s lives depend on it, because they really do.”

Want to take action? Use this action alert to send a message to your legislators and the Governor to ask for a two-year moratorium.

https://takeaction.io/mipl/hyperscale-data-center-moratorium-action-alert/

Thank you to everyone who came out and huge thanks to Sen. McKewan and Rep. Andy Smith for showing up to speak!

04/22/2026

Many of us are carrying a lot right now.

And still — across Minnesota — people are planting, restoring, teaching, advocating, and building. 🌱

This Earth Day, 11 environmental nonprofits are coming together to invest in the work that sustains our communities and our environment. 🌎

Clean water.

Healthy soil.

Green space.

Youth leadership.

Climate resilience.

Environmental justice.

Join us on April 22 for our collaborative fundraiser: One Day. One Earth. One Minnesota. ➡️ See comments for link.

04/22/2026

Happy Earth Day!

Since the beginning, Earth Day has always been about choosing cooperation over competition, of valuing what we can do for each other and the earth rather than what we can take from it.

Right now, 11 Minnesota organizations, including MNIPL, are working side by side to advance environmental and climate justice by protecting waterways, restoring habitat, expanding access to green space, and strengthening climate resilience across our state.

Today, you can support all of it with one gift.

Your donation will be distributed across every participating nonprofit — strengthening environmental work in communities statewide.

This Earth Day, we're asking you to celebrate the connections between our cooperative work by making a gift. Can we count on you?

Give today: https://www.givemn.org/organization/Earth-Day-Collaborative

One Day, One Earth, One MinnesotaOne Gift, Ten ImpactsOn Earth Day, let’s unite and act. On this one day, together we can help protect and restore our one Earth in our one Minnesota in our own communities.For Earth Day 2025, ten environmental nonprofits in Minnesota are

04/16/2026

Congress just passed a law that will strip protection of 225,000 acres of some of the most pristine wilderness in our county.

Systems of greed and extraction are insatiable – but they aren't unstoppable. We can still take action.

Our friends at Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness have put together an form so you can ask DNR Commissioner Sarah Strommen to cancel Twin Metals' lease that will allow them open their toxic mine near the Boundary Waters. Click here to submit your letter (or even better, call her office at 651-259-5555):

https://www.friends-bwca.org/tell-mn-dnr-to-cancel-twin-metals-mineral-lease/

(And consider making a gift to Friends of the Boundary Waters – your gift will be matched today!)

Environmental protection groups like Save the Boundary Waters say mining for copper and other heavy metals inevitably leaches sulfuric acid, toxic metals and other pollutants into surrounding water systems.

03/25/2026

The MN House Agriculture Finance Policy Committee heard testimony today on HF3898, which would protect wild rice from pesticides.

Shout out to Rise & Repair's Leanna Goose for her testimony on the importance of wild rice and the threats it currently faces from pesticides sprayed in and near its waters.

Wild rice is facing major threats from chemical, physical, and environmental factors. Now is the time to take action to protect its inherent right to grow and thrive in our state.

Learn more here and join us in this important work: https://riseandrepair.org/rights-of-manoomin-psin

03/15/2026

Making heat with ice? So great to see McKnight leading the way. And Great look McKnight Foundation!